[Mr.Woolery]

If you're looking for Lotus-style Eunos badges, there's a batch of 10 of them for sale right now on the eBay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Lotus-Style-Eunos-MX5-Miata-Mazda-Keyring_W0QQitemZ8067507515QQcategoryZ72211QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Get them while you can... :wink:

 

[Greg G]

Those look a little different from the ones I've seen before... :?:

 

[retrorocket]

copies of the originals made by a member of the UK mx5 owners forum ...

font and monogram are very poorly copied from original design though ...

 

[Greg G]

Hmmm! Looking at Mr. Woolery's wheels, they're suddenly looking pretty good!

http://roadsterjdm.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5953

 

[Greg G]

OK now it's really got me curious...whose initials are on the Eunos-Lotus emblem??? :?:

 

[roadsternut]

copies of the originals made by a member of the UK mx5 owners forum ...

font and monogram are very poorly copied from original design though ...

Which "original" is this? The Zoom copy of a Lotus badge

or a "genuine" Lotus badge:

Of course, you can get the same rip-off of a rip-off from:

http://www.boundville.co.uk/index.asp?function=DISPLAYPRODUCT&productid=756

Now Zoom make some great parts, inspired by European designers of the past. But the problem I have with this badge is that its an insult to Colin Chapman; basically it has comedic value (you don't think putting the Eunos-Lotus badge makes you car look like a Lotus, do you??), because thats the only reason to put this badge on. Its a bit of a giggle. There are plenty of retro-Mazda badges about if you want to turn the clock back.

Ys, the badge sold through Boundville is different from the Zoom-produced badge. it uses a different font. But then, Zoom doesn't use the font used n the modern Lotus badge. It attempts to mimic an early style Lotus badge:

Zoom doesn't get it quite right (the proportions and positioning of the detail is all wrong). The Boundville badges are described as enameled metal badge, sounds good enough quality to me. Ok, so its not a Zoom badge, but you can't buy those new any more (obviously such a hot seller, they took them out of the catalogue :roll: ), but it look ok to me, and best of all, its half the price of a new Eunos-Citroen badge from Mazda.

Some alternative badges for the Roadster, perhaps a little more fitting:

Enfini (who knows, this might have been actually fited if Mazda had sold the Roadster as an Enfini MS-5)

Off an RX-2 or something:

KG Works badges are no longer available.

 

[Greg G]

So basically you think it's British rice...potatoes :?

If you carry it that far, then I suppose the MX-5 itself is an insult to Lotus, wouldn't it? I think it's a nice tribute to the Elan, as long as it's used in a Roadster with the nostalgic look.

:?

 

[roadsternut]

Well, no. The MX5 was inspired in some respects by the Lotus, but it also drew design inspiration from a range of other cars; Alfa, Fiat, Triumph, and, conceptually in some way, MG. The MX5 draws some inspiration from the Elan, conceptuallym and in some respects, design wise, but get them side by side, and there isn't really a lot of resemblance

In fact, part of the reason Zoom exists is to cater for people in Japan who want to turn their Roadsters into Elan clones.... The badge was created for some guy who wanted to turn his car into a Elan look alike.

The Lotus-Eunos badge is a straight copy, substituting Colin Chapman's initials for some other guy's.

Detractors would always run down the MX5, dismissing it as nothing more than a Elan ripoff. I've never seen it that way. Its much more than that.

When creating a retro-look Roadster, this badge is much more apt:

In any case, my point was no matter if the Ebay badges are different from the "original" Zoom items, if you think they look good, go with them, and don't worry about people saying if they are not exact or something. I think they actually look better than the Zoom badges, but thats just my opinion. People get way too serious about the authenticity of a badge that generally generates titters when people see it (thats no bad thing...).

Right, I'm going to get busy on my Mazda Garages emblems. I already tried the home brew Cosmo badge, which cost me all of £2.50.

 

[roadsternut]

While I'm thinking about it, talking about turning your Miata/MX5/Roadster into a Roadster/Miata/MX5, I wonder how the badging on a Efini MS-5 would look? A vehicle that was still born.

Originally, the Roadster was to be marketed under two brand names in Japan; a luxo-version sold by the Eunos division (probably similar to the V-Special), and a sporty version through the Efini channel (which sold the RX7 amongst other things), badged tentatively as the MS-5. Things stalled when they couldn't agree to a Eunos-badged RX7 (thoug the Eunos Cosmo had a certain mechanical relatedness).

 

[Greg G]

I guess it depends on the angle

I know this is one of my inspirations:

But I do appreciate your point of view. I will say that the Lotus/Eunos is stretching the boundaries of tribute/parody, but like I said earlier, certain cars can pull it off very nicely.

But going back to my question--whose initials are those on the Eunos version?!?

:lol: =D>

 

[roadsternut]

Interesting nse badge:

Not sure I like it, but its....very japanese..

Frustatingly, I'm sure someone mentioned what the initials meant, but I can't find it now....

Going nostalgic can go wrong:
http://www5f.biglobe.ne.jp/~bugeye/my road.htm

This car has some good ideas; the mirror setup for instance is neat, but taken together.....its all a bit too much.

 

[freedomgli]

I agree with Greg in that I think the Eunos/Lotus badge is a fitting tribute. It's not like putting a Lamborghini badge on a Pontiac Fiero. I think an Ẽfini badge looks even more inappropriate given no Roadster ever sold wore one from the factory so what would it be replicating or paying triubute to? A stillborn concept car? The Efini badge evokes a rotary engine yet it was also used on vehicles equipped with reciprocating piston engines? Weird.

Here is a heated discussion on MX5OC forum of the whole Eunos/Lotus badge thing and whether or not it is appropriate to make a copy of a copy of a Lotus badge.

This badge is often misunderstood to be a Zoom Engineering badge since they offer the Elan kit but my understanding is the badge was first created and sold by Yours Sports Car Club. Now the initials begin to make a little more sense. YS stands for Yours Sports but I don't know what the IJ stand for. I loved the Borgh branded front bumper cover these guys used to offer. Can anyone in Japan confirm whether or not YSCC is still around and selling parts?

 

[freedomgli]

Going nostalgic can go wrong:
http://www5f.biglobe.ne.jp/~bugeye/my road.htm

When I first discovered that car I, too, thought it was a bit over the top and goofy looking. I just thought it was accessorized a bit too much. I'm still not in love with the entire package but I do think it's really cool and I like a lot of his work, expecially the interior with the custom dash and red low-back seats.

 

[roadsternut]

I agree with Greg in that I think the Eunos/Lotus badge is a fitting tribute. It's not like putting a Lamborghini badge on a Pontiac Fiero. I think an Ẽfini badge looks even more inappropriate given no Roadster ever sold wore one from the factory so what would it be replicating or paying triubute to? A stillborn concept car? The Efini badge evokes a rotary engine yet it was also used on vehicles equipped with reciprocating piston engines? Weird.

Here is a heated discussion on MX5OC forum of the whole Eunos/Lotus badge thing and whether or not it is appropriate to make a copy of a copy of a Lotus badge.

This badge is often misunderstood to be a Zoom Engineering badge since they offer the Elan kit but my understanding is the badge was first created and sold by Yours Sports Car Club. Now the initials begin to make a little more sense. YS stands for Yours Sports but I don't know what the IJ stand for. I loved the Borgh branded front bumper cover these guys used to offer. Can anyone in Japan confirm whether or not YSCC is still around and selling parts?

Only one person got really heated on the MX5OC thread, and he ended up with a bit of egg on his face judging from the universally positive comments from the people who brought the copy-of-a-copy badge. I don't understand how a badge can be labelled as inferior because it uses a different font from the Zoom badge; its not as if Zoom/YSCC went to great lengths to replicate the Lotus font. For a laugh, what would you rather pay, £100 ($180) or £10 ($18), or is it down to brand-snobbery? Each badge seems to be of similar quality, in terms of workmanship, so it can't really be argued that the replica is a shoddy piece.

Putting a Efini (Mazda) badge on a Mazda is less appropriate than a Lotus badge?? Well, to most people, the Efini badge is unknown, and I think it is a nice design, nicer than the original device. Most people know what a Lotus badge looks like, so yes, it is like sticking a Lamborghini badge on a Fiero. I went to a show recently where people had dressed up MR2s to look like Ferraris; maybe they they were paying tribute to Enzo? Heck, I've seen a Roadster coming off the boat with a big Toyota T on the nose....

What does Efini mean; why does it specifically evoke a rotary engine, or are you just associating it with the RX7? I was merely speculating how Mazda might have badged up such a beast, no intention of doing it myself.

Yours Sports are at http://www.ab-sports.com/yscc/. Lotus badges are still listed under Goods, 50-5mm, 5250-12600 Yen. Hmm....Zoom were having a hell of a markup on these, as I make that about £25 and up, less if you got the usual 60% trade discount you can get off most Japanese suppliers just by asking.

 

[roadsternut]

Going nostalgic can go wrong:
http://www5f.biglobe.ne.jp/~bugeye/my road.htm

When I first discovered that car I, too, thought it was a bit over the top and goofy looking. I just thought it was accessorized a bit too much. I'm still not in love with the entire package but I do think it's really cool and I like a lot of his work, expecially the interior with the custom dash and red low-back seats.

Yeah, but do you think he got a sore head before installing the homemade headrests :wink: :lol:

 

[freedomgli]

What does Efini mean; why does it specifically evoke a rotary engine, or are you just associating it with the RX7?

I put a hyperlink in my previous post to a Wikipedia entry for Efini. The shape of the Efini badge reminds of a rotor housing. I understand it was supposed to be Mazda's "sporty" brand while Eunos was supposed to the the luxury "touring" brand but their product mix is bizarre. Maybe this is why the concept failed and the sub-brands went away.

There has been a long tradition of ricers putting Ferrari or Porsche or whatever badges on their cars. However, I think the YSCC/Zoom badge is different and more along the lines of the Volvo Prancing Moose.

 

[freedomgli]

Yeah, but do you think he got a sore head before installing the homemade headrests :wink: :lol:

I love the look of low-back seats but I know they're not as safe since they don't offer head and upper vertebrae support. It always drives me nuts when I see people take the head rests out of their oem seats for whatever reason.

 

[roadsternut]

There has been a long tradition of ricers putting Ferrari or Porsche or whatever badges on their cars. However, I think the YSCC/Zoom badge is different and more along the lines of the Volvo Prancing Moose.

Or Voodoo's Pollo Rampante, except they aren't charging $180 a shot.....

Interesting; you include people trying to disguise Japanese cars as European cars as "ricers". I always thought it the other way around.

I had read the Wikipedia entry (though we all know that entire website is just a pack of lies put together by the deranged); the Efini badge does resemble a rotor....or a stylised triangle. It is not an obvious depiction, and as I said, is pretty obscure, and it is an attractive design. Still don't know if "Efini" has any meaning.

The brands went away because Mazda went broke, and sold to Ford. They had Mazda, Eunos, Efini, Autozam and the never launched Amati. Must have driven the Japanese consumer nuts.

 

[MiataRoadster]

Re: Lotus-style Eunos badges currently on eBay

YSJ = Your Sports Japan / ACBC = Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman

It's YSJ, not YSIJ. The vertical "I" is not a letter, it's just a design element to balance the top of the "J."

See:

http://autos.ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/RoadsterJDM/photos/browse/6cfd

This is the version of the official Lotus emblem that YSJ was parodying:

http://us.a2.yahoofs.com/groups/g_17471278/6cfd/__sr_/1d0c.jpg?grQeLeEBWrAuUuzv

 

[freedomgli]

(though we all know that entire website is just a pack of lies put together by the deranged);

LOL!

Still don't know if "Efini" has any meaning.

I don't know either. It might be a stylized interpretation of infinite. Or it could just be gobbledygook created by a marketing team who conducted some focus group meetings for Mazda.